Part 1 Chapter 10-9

“So, when is the Round Table going to hold its meeting in Seoul?”

I asked Rusalka, who had just finished showering. The reason why Undine, a member of the Round Table, specifically came to Seoul instead of other cities was because the upcoming ‘Round Table Meeting’ was to be held in Seoul.

“Well? I thought it would be held in New Seoul from the start.”

“Right. Not Busan, but Seoul.”

The gathering of the Round Table isn’t a big problem, but the countless crowds who come to see them are. Moreover, with Seok Harang taking the 13th seat, people were filled with anticipation that all members of the Round Table might gather in one place.

“It’s customary for new members to gather for an initiation ceremony. But why is that place Seoul, that’s what I’m saying.”

“Well. Isn’t it because of you?”

“Huh, why me?”

Rusalka turned the arrow towards me. I was so dumbfounded I couldn’t speak.

“Is it because of Cheonghwa, or because of Phoenix?”

“Half and half.”

“Half?”

“Everyone has different reasons for coming. The location is up to Sir Gawain anyway, but the children participating have different thoughts. Even me, for example.”

Rusalka pointed to Busan.

“It was awkward being here, so I came up to Seoul.”

“Yeah. Thanks to that, my room was terrorized with semen and love juice.”

“Stop with the nonsense. Anyway, aren’t there currently three members of the Round Table staying in Korea? Undine, War God, and Oracle.”

“Jilpungek left for a warrior’s pilgrimage, so their participation is unclear.”

Jilpungek, Himeji Hayate, who suffered an overwhelming defeat at Xiaolin’s hands, began traveling the world, saying they had realized something. Hikari even made a fuss, saying she was using her spare time to create invisible weapons for her brother.

“If Jilpungek becomes SS-rank, won’t you be in danger too? They’ll try to kill Phoenix.”

“There’s a hostage, isn’t there? …Just kidding, if they come at me, I’ll fight. But I won’t fight alone.”

I tapped my chest with my thumb.

“It’s not like I only have one or two dependents. If I die alone, fine, but I can’t send the others to the afterlife with me, can I?”

“Yes, I understand the Azure Flame Phoenix-nim’s compassionate heart for their apostles. But you need to know this for sure, okay?”

Rusalka brought up the Round Table’s profiles.

“You, that is, the Round Table’s stance on the Villain Phoenix, falls into roughly four categories.”

“That’s a lot.”

“Will you shut up for a bit? The first is a complete ally. War God is the only one.”

Though it was a bit different by my standards, I decided to quietly listen to Rusalka for now.

“Secondly, friendly forces. Seolhwaryeong, Undine, and Jilpungek are representative. If their interests align, they might join hands with you, but if there’s a problem, they’ll fight, won’t they?”

“Are you also a friendly force?”

“Of course. Why would I help you? It’s because you still hold the leash of my husband.”

Although the leash on the monstrous human Gwanggeom had effectively been loosened, if I died, he would also die, just like other monstrous humans.

Rusalka had to protect my life to protect her husband. But that didn’t mean I could demand absolute loyalty or force her.

“Then there are nine left now.”

“That’s right. Among them, if I were to pick neutral people… Oracle and Sir Gawain. That’s it.”

“So seven members of the Round Table are enemies? Hmm. A tough opponent.”

“You don’t know what will happen with Sir Gawain, do you? It’s practically eight.”

I racked my brain, comparing the forces of the Round Table and the Azure Syndicate.

If I were to fight each member of the Round Table one-on-one, it would be my overwhelming victory, but as the pinnacle of heroes, the Round Table has very strong camaraderie.

“Surely they won’t even get synergy buffs, will they?”

“What are you talking about?”

“Just talking to myself. Ugh.”

The seven members of the Round Table, including Geronimo and Saladin. What if Phoenix, an SS-rank monstrous human, were to face them? If I run a simulation in my head, I would achieve a ‘hard-won victory’ after several hours of fierce battle, but the variable is still the neutral Sir Gawain.

“As expected, with an SS-rank involved, the calculations get complicated.”

“…? Are you saying that human is SS-rank?”

“S+. They’re right on the verge of becoming SS-rank.”

Because of me, Seok Harang became humanity’s first official SS-rank, but in the original story, Gawain was the first SS-rank. In 2022, three years earlier than the future of 2025, which is about two years from now.

“Hmph, it’s useless now. Our Harang is SS-rank, isn’t she?”

“Yes, Seok Harang is amazing. Then it’s fine. No need to worry about the Round Table.”

“Why?”

I pointed to the seven heroes who were as good as provisional enemies.

“Because I can handle these guys alone, and have Xiaolin face Gawain.”

“Alright. Do as you please. The Round Table meeting isn’t set in Seoul immediately, so you can relax. My guess is… mid-August?”

“Is that so. Then that’s enough.”

If I awaken another Spirit in addition to Hwanryong and make them an ally, it will be much easier to deal with them. Although it couldn’t be confirmed that the Round Table were enemies yet, I always had to assume the worst-case scenario.

“It would be good if I could find at least one more in the meantime.”

“Hey.”

Rusalka lowered her voice. It was a small voice that Gwanggeom, who was still showering, wouldn’t be able to hear.

“…..I’m thinking of going to China for a bit.”

“You don’t need my permission for that, do you?”

“It’s because I can’t take my husband with me.”

“Ah, I see.”

If she, as Anastasia, were to bring around some strange monstrous human, it would obviously become worldwide gossip, and Rusalka, now human, was quite concerned about her family.

“Do you want to meet Hwanryong and talk?”

“Of course. Didn’t you say they weren’t actually brainwashed?”

“They knew they were brainwashed but were too lazy to undo it, so they stayed brainwashed. Their mind wasn’t brainwashed.”

“Why is it so complicated? Anyway, you’re saying they’re fine now, aren’t you?”

“Yes. Even though they’re residing in Mao Zeping.”

“……What? That married woman hunter?”

It seems Cao Cao’s infamy reached even Russia. Rusalka looked quite troubled that Hwanryong was residing in him, but I couldn’t understand why Rusalka was worried.

“What exactly is the problem?”

“What if Hwanryong gets devoured by Mao Zeping? It’s different from my case, isn’t it?”

“……Hmm.”

Rusalka’s soul alone remained and resided in Anastasia’s body. Since it was the body of a virgin who had recently died, settlement was easy, and Anastasia, the original owner of the body, had already lost her soul a long time ago.

However, Mao Zeping’s case is different.

“Hwanryong will mix with Mao Zeping or be devoured by Mao Zeping in reverse?”

“Yes.”

“Then there’s even less need to worry.”

“…Did you take some measures before coming?”

I nodded and took out a black Core that I had carefully kept in a drawer. Rusalka, like a former executive, quickly realized the identity of the Core in my hand.

“It’s a Black Scorpion Core, isn’t it?”

“Yes. It’s a fresh, warm egg laid this morning.”

“……Are we playing twenty questions? Can you just tell me directly?”

It seemed Rusalka’s patience had reached its limit. I felt that if I dragged it out any longer, Rusalka would get angry, so I revealed the answer at once.

“Mao Zeping became a Black Scorpion. Satisfied?”

“……Explain.”

Just as I thought. I quenched my thirst with a strawberry drink from the fridge, then recounted the horrors Hwanryong and Bonghyo had committed.

* * *

I didn’t know much about Hwanryong’s possession mechanism.

However, I knew for sure that when Hwanryong possessed a living target, the original owner’s soul didn’t disappear but remained. Jilpungek, who still maintained his sanity despite Hwanryong having taken over his body, was the most representative example.

So, regarding the ‘Mao Zeping possession’ I blurted out in a fit of pique, Bonghyo explored various conditions and finally came up with a shocking scheme.

– How about possessing Mao Zeping’s body, pulling out his soul, and then having him possess somewhere else?

Hwanryong and I felt fear at that scheme. Bonghyo, who came up with a scheme so inhumane that even a Dark Legion executive might commit it, was truly evil.

– Isn’t Mao Zeping your father?

– Fathers are fathers, but there’s no father in the world who would implant bugs in his son’s heart and burst his daughter’s heart, is there?

Bonghyo had his own reasons. He must have suffered a lot while working as a commander for Dongchang, but the murder of Xiaolin, whom he cherished like a younger sibling, by Mao Zeping, caused him to completely sever ties with Mao Zeping.

– I thought it was truly fortunate that my lord made me a monstrous human. Wasn’t I able to discard half of the dirty blood flowing in this body? Haha.

Hwanryong and I eventually approved Bonghyo’s scheme. Bonghyo searched for a target and happened to acquire a very good vessel.

– Phoenix-nim. I’ve acquired that Black Scorpion.

– ????

– It seems it came this way to acquire the Emperor’s Core while fleeing.

Bonghyo immediately reported to me that he had captured the Black Scorpion, which had taken on a human form. And instead of handing over Jiparyong’s Core, he asked for permission to use the Black Scorpion as he pleased.

– How do you plan to use the Black Scorpion?

– Why, I’ll put Mao Zeping inside it!

Naturally, Bonghyo chose the Black Scorpion as the vessel to put Mao Zeping’s soul into. It had given birth to countless children and manipulated them as it pleased, only to be counterattacked by one of its surviving children and relegated to a Core that merely gives birth to offspring.

– Ah, nooooo! This body that will rule the world, to have such a mass of tits, ughh?!

Mao Zeping resided in the Black Scorpion’s body.

More precisely, he resided in ‘the body of the Black Scorpion that had become a monstrous human.’

– Hwanryong-ah. Don’t you think you should stop your subordinate?

– …Too lazy to stop him.

– My Lord! This time, like this!

– …It’s too much trouble to command each one. Hwanryong, who governs the chaos of the world, commands. The monstrous human Black Scorpion must unconditionally obey the commands of the monstrous human Baek Cheongyeong. That’s all. End.

Hwanryong had absolute command over the Black Scorpion, and Mao Zeping, despite having a clear mind, had to endure all sorts of humiliation according to Bonghyo’s commands, spoken through Hwanryong.

– Kyaaaak! N-noooo! S-stop!

It was truly depravity itself.

– That’s harsh.

Of course, I didn’t stop it.

– So, how many Cores can it produce in a day?

– I’ll have to try it first, but I think it can easily lay 2 to 3 S-rank Cores a day.

A regular supplier that produced S-rank Cores daily had appeared, so there was no reason to stop it.

* * *

“So this is the fresh, warm egg the Black Scorpion laid this morning, is that what you’re saying?”

“Ugh.”

Rusalka frowned, genuinely disgusted. Since ‘monstrous human Rusalka’ had resided in Heo Yun-hwan’s body and I had eliminated it, Anastasia, with only her complete soul remaining, was quite repulsed by the monstrous humans’ actions.

“You really…. Ugh. Never mind.”

Rusalka shook her head as if she didn’t want to associate with me. I put the Core back into the drawer and added one more comment.

“Furthermore, the method for producing Cores is that. That thing you and Gwanggeom do often.”

“…….”

“Sex-“

“Shut your mouth!”

Rusalka slammed the table and yelled loudly. I shrugged once and sat down opposite Rusalka.

“Why be so embarrassed?”

“My husband and I are making love!”

“Then I concede.”

“This really…!”

“Calm down, Rusalka.”

Gwanggeom, who had finished showering, embraced Rusalka from behind the sofa. Bending their upper bodies to meet face to face, the two naturally kissed right in front of me.

“Well, I’ll be.”

I wondered if I had meddled unnecessarily. Whether it was because of my words or because I helped deepen their love, the couple’s actions in front of me began to escalate, like riding an escalator.

I became certain. Seok Harang was definitely the daughter of Heo Yun-hwan and Rusalka.

“Still, doing that much in front of people is a bit much, don’t you think? It’ll be dinner time soon.”

“Tsk, haa. Look, my husband and I are just making love, okay? Where’s the time to eat? We’re too busy making love. Hehe.”

“Rusalka, you understand. Someone who doesn’t know love…. No, that’s not it either.”

Gwanggeom was about to take off his shower gown when he looked at me and suddenly turned pale.

“You, how on earth do you know so much?”

“I only know what I know.”

“Now that I think about it, it wasn’t just knowing. It was personal experience, wasn’t it? Tell me right now.”

“……I only told you what I’ve experienced. And.”

The two couples gaped in astonishment. I felt no reason to lie, so I told the truth.

“Everything I told you earlier, they were all positions I’ve tried with Seok Harang too-“

They fought again.

Fortunately, I cast a Barrier before anything could be destroyed, so the building wasn’t ruined.